The Party

B really, really wanted a party this year for his birthday.  He's never had one before--we've always been moving right in the middle of his birthday.  I was pretty nervous about doing one, after all it is summer, hotter than Hades, and anyone who can has left for the summer.  I was so thankful that we had 8 kids so up.  B and S were both so excited.  We had Slip 'N Slide, splash pool and a water balloon fight.  The water balloon fight was a big hit.  Poor N spent 2 hours filling up balloons and the kids finished them off in about 5 minutes!  It was a successful party and I'm so glad so many people came to celebrate our sweet boy with us.  

Here we've got baby E making her way around the house to see what Papa and her brothers are up to.

She found them!  Filling up water balloons and getting ready for the party!

Waiting for the guests to arrive and SO excited!

E loves to wear shoes on her hands and walk like Mogli on the Jungle Book.  She stole some little girl's flip flops.

E, Bronwyn, B & S

Slip 'n Slide!  Miya, Enzo & Nadim

B, Zane, Miya, E & Enzo

Water balloon fight!!!!

When the balloons ran out they turned on the hose!  Oliver spraying Nadim.

Big girl!

I love it!  Just as we finished singing he yelled "Everyone blow with me!"

Opening gifts.  Enzo below, "B you're really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, REALLY luck!"

Silly gift!  And what did he say to his Papa when he opened them?  "Just what I always wanted! Papa, it's just the size of your nose!"  N didn't know what to say.  =)

He's 5

Okay, we'll, he's not actually 5 for a few days more yet, but he doesn't know that!  N was able to get vacation last week and he'll be working like crazy during B's actual birthday so he wanted to have the celebration when he could be around to be a part of it.  B asked for a "chocolate strawberry shortcake with raspberries."  So, we took care of that then had fun opening gifts from French Grandma (as the boys call her) and then gifts from Mama and Papa.  S actually got lucky and made out like a birthday boy himself.  Grandma kindly sent gifts for S and E too and the bike we got B for his birthday ended up being too small, so N took him back to the shop to pick out his very own green bike and S got the brand new blue one!  So, we had two very happy boys and one very envious little girl.  When we wheeled B's bike in for him to "open" it E yelled "Bike!!!" at the top of her lungs and headed straight for it.

So, our sweet little baby boy is 5 and he is a very generous, tender-hearted little guy.  Every year since he's been able to talk when I ask him what he wants for his birthday he names something and then says that he wants something else for his brother.  He got a candy bar at church for his birthday and I hear he broke it in pieces and gave pieces to all of the kids.  He loves to think and talk about things.  It's often like talking to an adult.  He's a deep thinker this kid.  He's also very funny.  At 5 he likes to be silly and wants people to think he's funny.  He asks about Jesus and getting resurrected a lot.  He loves to ride his bike and look through his telescope.  He loves books.  He wants to be "very Frenchy" and always wants to eat French food or go to French stores because he thinks it will make him "more Frenchy" like his Papa.  He loves elephants and penguins and the color green.  He likes to read books and he likes to sing.  And he is very fascinated with Henry the 8th and "that English Land."  (I was reading a biography about one of Henry's queens and he wanted me to tell him what I was reading, he's been fascinated ever since.)  We love our little B so much!!!!

  This light sabor was a big hit with all 3 kids!

Thanks Grandma!  B was SO excited.  And so was E.  She tried very hard to ride it too.

Sweet princess watching B on the bike and S on the scooter.  She was a little bit jealous poor thing.

Finally, it was her turn!!!

Tamales and a Homemade Pinata

B loves tamales.  They're his favorite, but they take a bit of effort to make.  So, when I do them we like to do a double batch and have company.  The boys thought if we were having Mexican food a pinata was in order, so we made a homemade one!  It was a lot of fun.  We had good weather, good food, good fun and good company!  What else could we ask for?

Happy Birthday to Me

My birthday turned out to be a really nice day.  I thought I'd sleep in that morning, but sweet little B showed up on my side of the bed well before 7:00 with a huge smile, "Good morning Mom!  It's your birthday!  Get up!"  So, he and I were up all by ourselves and it was the sweetest thing ever, he came walking into the living room so proudly with a a gift he had wrapped himself.  He had sneaked into my closet and gotten the wrapping paper, scissors and tape and wrapped up his brand new beach ball and then gave it to me.  Such a tender little sweetheart!

In the evening we were invited for a BBQ at our friends Jose and Rebecca's house.  It was awesome.  The dads and kids swam in the back yard and Rebecca and I got to hang out and talk for almost two hours kid free!  Then they surprised me by having a birthday cake!

N took the next day off of work as well so we got the kids kites for my birthday and went kite flying.  There wasn't a lot of wind, but enough to get them off the ground.  We had fun and sweet E kept trying to walk.  I was so proud of her!  S decided we were too hot and we didn't have a lot more water so we went home.  N then sent me shopping for the rest of the afternoon while he watched the kids!  In the evening the ward had a BBQ and since N was home, for once our family actually got to go! Hooray for a fun birthday.